Risk Factors Associated with COVID-19 Mortality in the State of Durango, Mexico

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths globally.
• Understanding factors influencing COVID-19 mortality is crucial for public health interventions.
• Comorbidities, age, and symptoms are key areas of investigation for COVID-19 outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze clinical and demographic factors associated with COVID-19 mortality.
• To identify risk factors for mortality in SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in Durango, Mexico.
• To establish associations between comorbidities, symptoms, and COVID-19 fatality.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study analyzing 16,345 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases from May 2020 to December 2021.
• Inclusion of variables such as patient age, sex, smoking status, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, obesity), and symptoms (fever, dyspnea, abdominal pain, diarrhea).
• Multivariate regression analysis to determine odds ratios for mortality risk factors.

Main Results:

• The study included 16,345 cases with a median age of 43 years and 54% female participants, showing a 5.66% mortality rate.
• Advanced age (>60 years) was the strongest predictor (OR 4.127), followed by hypertension (OR 1.961), diabetes (OR 1.753), and obesity (OR 1.413).
• Dyspnea emerged as the most significant symptom associated with mortality (OR 18.369), with polypnea and cyanosis also noted as predictors. Health workers showed reduced mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• Hypertension and advanced age are significantly associated with increased COVID-19 mortality.
• Dyspnea is a critical clinical predictor of fatal COVID-19 outcomes.
• Findings highlight the importance of managing comorbidities and recognizing severe symptoms for mitigating COVID-19 mortality, with a note on lower risk for healthcare professionals.